Tooth-cleaning implement



March 6, 1928.

- G- N. GILBERT TOOTH CLEANING IMPLEMENT Filed April 6, 1927 INVENTOR 1. z'tbert ATTORNEY r Patented Mar. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES enonqnfmernnnar, or mum, ILLINQIS.

TOOTH-CLEANING IMPLEMENT.

Application filed April 6,

The invention hasforitsobject to provide a new and improved'toothcleaning implement, simple, compact and adaptable to economical manufacture and by the employment ofwhich itis'possible to clean all surfaces of the teeth, regardless of how inaccessible they are, and also crevices between the teeth. I

In its more detailed nature the invention resides in the'provision of an implement of the character described comprising a glass tube body and end caps fort-snugly filling and closing the ends thereof-to constitute a dental floss container, one said cap being provided with a dental floss passing aperture and an improved holding and-tensioning bow, andsaid other cap being provided with an improved type oftooth brush. f The invention still further resides injthe novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which'will be first fully described,'then be particularly pointed out in the appended cla-ims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which: v

Figure l is aperspective view'illustrating the invention, the-removable brush head and sanitary closure ca being shown separated.

Figure 2 is an en arged central longitudinal section of the implement. 1

Figures 3 and -4'are detail perspective views illustrating modified floss holding and tensioningl bows. I

Figure 5 is a detail perspectiveview similar to Figure 4, but on an enlarged scale, withthe floss omitted. i I In the practical development of the invention I provide atubular glass body 1, the openends of which are adapted to be closed bysnugly fitting end caps 2and 3 which, when mounted, are wax sealed upon the ends of the body as at 4. I By thus mounting and securing the ends they are securely held to position during ordinary use or when relatively cold; To remove the ends it is only necessary to subject them to heatnecessary to sufliciently mold the wax and permit removal. 1

The body 1 provides a storage compartment for accommodating a dental floss supply 5 andby reason of constructing the body of glassthe user of the device'mayreadily view the saidfloss supply and have the amount of his supplyflalways before his attention. I

r Th "P 2 isadapted to serve as a mount- 1927. Serial No. 1si,547.

ing means for a tooth crevice'cleaning device l and the cap 3 similarly serves to mount a tooth surface cleaning device, both of whlch "will be hereinafter described in detail.

The cap 2 is provided with an aperture 6 through which anend of the floss maybe threaded and a U-shaped how 7 is secured at an angle of approximately &5. The arms 9 of the bow areresilient so that theymay be pressed inwardly-to store up tension so that when released they will spring outwardly and assume their normal position for a purpose later to be described; a

At their ends the arms 9 are provided with flosssuspending and aligning notches 10 and as at 8 to the said cap to project therefrom securing notches 11. In utilizing the how 7 v I to suspend a length of dental floss across the ends of the said bow it is only necessaryto draw out a portion of the floss throughthe aperture 6, wrap it around the end of one arm' and into-the securing notch thereof, then intoits aligning notchlO and over and into the aligning notch of the oppositev arm. Now, by wrapping the floss around the end of the last mentioned arm and into its securing notch the floss may be secured to the desired position across the arms. It should be understood that when this operation is performed the arms will be pressed inwardly by the thumb and tore finger of the user, and thus held until after the mounting operation is completed. By then releasing the arms they will spring outwardly and hold the floss taut. If desired thegbase' portions of the bow may be provided with a sharpened edge, as at '12, to facilitate cutting of the floss, when desired. The securing wrappings of the floss are indicated at 1'3 and thetautly suspended portion to be used in cleaning the crevices between the teeth 'is indicated at 14:. y

In Figure 3 of the dr awing,.I have illus -v trated a slight modification of the floss mounting bow in which the side arms therer of adjacent their ends are slightly'tapered andwattheir lower portions, adjacent the uncture with the cross piece or-base of the U, are provided with flattened or cut out Clamp rings v, 16 are slidably portions 15.

mounted one upon each arm and when retracted over the cut out portions 15 the floss may be readily threaded through the space between the ring and the arm provided by the said cutout. By sliding the ringsoutwardly on the arms onto the tapered POI? tiions thereof the ilthfi may be securely clamped in a taut condition across the ends of ti arms. it being understood that the same resilient arm feature of tensioning the floss may be employed in this modified form.

In Figures l and 5 of the drawing I have illustrated a still further modification of the floss bow construction in which one arm of the bow is provided near its end with an eye 17 through which the floss may be passed. It is also provided with a slot or notch it) through which the floss may be passed and from which the floss is extended to the other arm of the how. The other arm terminates in an enlarged flattened head to facilitate the secure wrapping of the floss, and is cross notched as at 18 to facilitate both the securing and aligning of the suspended length of floss.

In both modifications illustrated in Figures 3 and l the bow mounting cap may be provided with a thread cutting tang 19, as illustrated.

The end cap 3 or tooth surface cleaning device mounting cap carries a friction socket member 20 projecting from the end thereof at an angle of approximately 45 and in a direction opposite that in which the bow 7 is projected from the other cap 2. The socket 20 is in the nature of a hollow shell of thin resilient metal notched at its end to provide gripping fingers to securely but pcrmancntly grip the socket head 21 in which atuft brush 22 is mounted. By thus mounting the brush 22 it is possible to replace the brushes whenever they become worn and unfit for efiicient service.

The friction socket 20 is also adapted to receive and frictionally hold a sanitary closure cap 23 which fits over the brush 22 and its mounting and efl'cctually closes the same from dust and other means of contamination and to further assure a continually sanitary condition of the brush and to always retain the same sterile the said cap may be provided with an antiseptic tiller of any type found suitable.

In the foregoing description and in the drawing I have disclosed a simple and etlicient implement for cleaning not only the surfaces of the teeth but also the crevices between the teeth. With common types of tooth brushes now on the market it is impossible to reach even all of the surfaces of the teeth. much less the crevices between the teeth and this insuflicient cleaning results in the great spread of the at present common disease of pyorrhea. I have disclosed a simple device by which all surfaces of the teeth may be easily cleaned. By providing the small tuft brush and mount-ing the same at the end of the composite handle and supply containing body and projecting the same at the angle stated it will be found very easy to clean the heretofore inaccessible surfaces of the teeth. Also, by providing the dental floss suspending bow and project ing the same in the manner indi atcd, it is possible very readily to clean the crevices between the teeth.

It. also found to he an advantage to project the tooth crevices cl mning device and the tooth surfaces cleaning device from opposite ends of the small handle and reservoir body and at angles of 45 in opposite dircctions. By this means of projection neither of the devices interferes with the other but rather facilitates the use of the other device. in making it easier to handle the implement and hold the same steady while in operation.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawin; it is thought that the novel details of construction, the manner of use and the advantages of my invention will be readily clear to those skilled in the art to which it relates.

What I claim is:

1. An implement of the character described comprising an open ended tubular glass storage compartment and handle providing body, and a closure cap for closing each open end of said body, a tooth crevice cleaning member carried by one cap. and a tooth surface cleaning member carried by the remaining cap. said crevice and surface cleaning members being projected from said caps at acute angles.

An implement of the character described comprising an open ended tubular glass storage comparmcnt and handle pro viding body, and a closure cap for closing each open end of said body, a tooth crevice cleaning member carried by one cap, and a tooth surface cleaning member carried by the remaining cap, said caps being wax sealed upon said body ends and releasable upon application of heat.

8. An implement of the character described comprising an open ended tubular glass storage compartment and handle providing body, and a closure cap for closing each open end of said body, a tooth crevice cleaning member carried by one cap, and a tooth surface cleaning member carried by the remaining cap. said crevice and surface cleaning members being projected from said caps at angles of 45 in opposite directions.

t. An implement of the character dcscribcd comprising a hollow storage compartment and handle providing body, a dental floss supply in said hollow body, a cap for closing the body and having an aperture to pass an end of said floss, a U-shaped floss holding and tensioning bow carried by said cap and having resilient; arms, one said arm having a notch and an eye in its end. and the other of said arms being enlarged and flattened at; its end and'provided with cross notches to receive and secure taut across said arms the end of the-floss drawn through said aperture. a 5. An implement of the character described comprising a handle, a friction socket projecting from the handle, a tuft brush frictionally held in said socket, and a sanitary cover insertable over the brush to be frictionally held upon said friction socket.

6. An implement of the character described comprising a handle, a friction scribed comprising a handle, a friction,

socket projectin from the handle end at an angle of 45 an comprising a hollow open ended shell splitat its endto provide friction gripping fingers, a tuft brush frictionholder, a cap for closing each end of said holder, a dental floss holding bow carried by and projected from one cap at an acute angle to the axis of the holder, a brush holding socket carried by and projected from the other cap at an acute angle to the axis of the holder, a tuft brush comprising bristles and a socket head in which the bristles are mounted, said socket head being adapted to be received by said socket and secured therein by retaining friction substantially as specified.

GEORGE N. GILBERT; 

